Century Ride in Buena Vista, Colorado
I completed my first century ride on my Coker on Saturday. It was a
supported cycling tour called the “Buena Vista Bike Fest.” The route is
from Buena Vista up valley to Leadville, up Tennessee Pass the around
the historic Mineral Belt Bike path. There were 800 participants,
mostly people on road bikes but I saw plenty of recumbents and tandems
as well. The route has lots of gradual climbing and descending and
initially I signed up thinking I’d have my KH/Schulmpf uni ready to
rock, but alas it wasn’t to be so…I completed it on my regular old
fixxie.
I started at 5:30 AM just as the sun was peeking out, about 1 ½ hours
before more bikers would head out. I wanted to take advantage out all
the support stops and meet my biking friends at lunch. There had been
snow this past week and the temps were in the high 30s (f) but the day
promised to be clear and bright. The only annoying thing was a string
headwind heading straight down valley 25-30 mph, with gusts even
stronger than that. It was downright discouraging. I had driven up from
home 2.5 hours away and I’d awoken at 2:30 am so I was tired and not
very confident about my training (very little). After an hour of
battling the wind and barely clearing 10 mph, I was wondering if I
hadn’t made a big mistake. I decided to push those thoughts just see if
I could get to Leadville. Soon there were lots of cars headed down the
highway honking support. At 17 miles was the first support station. The
volunteers were just getting set up but they were very happy to see a
unicycle. I met the organizers of the race and everyone was so positive
it gave me a burst of energy. I powered up valley to Leadville and then
through some back roads to Tennesee Pass.
Going up the pass I was cramping HARD. In fact, I keeled over in a
dramatic UPD right in front of a sag vehicle. I clearly wasn’t
hydrating enough and I also wasn’t getting enough salt. I spent 20-30
minutes drinking Gatorade and trying to get my cramping under control.
It was very painful and I was only at mile 40. Finally, I remounted and
slowly started the climb up the pass. The cramps were manageable now
and I was able to climb at a descent rate. Here is a pic at the top of
the pass. [image:
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26760&stc=1&d=1211256155]
Coming off the pass I was feeling a lot better. I downsized my
adjustable cranks to 125mms and I took off on a fun 10 mile ride to the
yummy Chicken Burrito lunch. Here is a pic looking south east toward
the still very snowy Mosquito Mountain Range.
[image:
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26761&stc=1&d=1211256422]
After lunch was a long 3 mile climb up to the top of the Mineral Belt
Bike path. The weather was absolutely perfect and the views were
unbelievable. I was feeling comfortable and more confident. I knew at
the top of this climb was the beginning of a 40 mile descent into the
finish. Here is another pic looking west toward Mt. Yale and Mt.
Harvard, two of the 14,000 ft mountains lining the valley.
[image:
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26762&stc=1&d=1211256601]
There was a pirate theme to the rides and the volunteers built a pirate
ship out of the portable toilets! Check it out! Only 30 more miles and
now the headwind I battled on the way out was pushing me home (see
flags).
[image:
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26763&stc=1&d=1211256929]
I stopped and took a picture at 10 miles out. I know I could endure
anything for ten more miles.
[image:
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26765&stc=1&d=1211257138]
My butt was sore but I experienced absolutely no numbness. That is
thanks to my new Scott Wallis saddle that arrived in the mail on
Tuesday. If I’d been on my KH airseat I am certain I would have been
much worse off. I came in just before 4:30, making the whole affair and
11 hour day. I drank a couple of hard earned ales at the post-ride
party and somehow managed to drive the 2 hours back to the house.
Feeling a bit slow today but I'm betting around OK. All in all a great
day in the beautiful Colorado sunshine!
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osmundo
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